AT LEAST 22 people perished during the onslaught of Tropical Depression Usman, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Sunday, December 30.
NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said 16 of the fatalities were from Bicol while six were from Eastern Visayas.
He said most of them were killed after being buried by a landslide caused by the continuous downpour in their areas.
Posadas said three people remained missing in Eastern Visayas region as of Sunday.
He said the number of casualties may still increase as they were still receiving reports from the regional offices where Tropical Depression Usman struck.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said 1,274 families or 4,906 persons were affected by the weather disturbance.
A total of 78 areas were reported to be flooded as of Saturday, December 30, while 36 flights were cancelled due to bad weather.
Over 3,700 passengers and 28 sea vessels were also stranded in several ports due to the bad weather.
Tropical Depression Usman, which carried maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 65 kph, weakened after hitting land in Borongan, Eastern Samar.
The severe weather system, however, dumped heavy rains as it crossed Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions.
It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning.
In Eastern Visayas, three people were confirmed dead after they were trapped inside their house which was buried in a landslide in Barangay Henanoragan, Lope de Vega town in Northern Samar.
The fatalities were Eddie Panao, 36 and his two children, Mea, 14, and Edmond, 15.
A fourth fatality in the same town was Elves Mindaño, 26, who drowned.
Two others died, also by drowning, in Barangay Lokilokon in Paranas, Northern Samar, according to the Office of the Civil Defense.
They were identified as Mark Leonardo Gaborne, 19, and Leonor Abayon, 61.
The three individuals reported missing were on a banca that capsized on December 28. Couple Luis and Leonora Salon, 52 and 45 years old, respectively, and their seven-year-old son Luigi are from Barangay Buenaserte, Victoria in Northern Samar.
Police Superintendent Ma Bella Rentuaya, regional spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region, said that as of December 29, a total of 4,813 passengers, 501 vehicles, and seven ships were stranded across the region.
Flooded areas in Northern Samar were Lope De Vega (Purok 5); San Roque (Barangay 1 and 2, Barangay Malobago, Barangay Pagsang-an, Barangay Lawaan and Barangay Ginagdanan); Rosario (Barangay 2 and Barangay San Lorenzo); San Jose (Barangay San Lorenzo, Barangay East and South and Barangay P. Tingzon); Bobon (Barangay Quezon); Mondragon (Barangay Nenita, Barangay Hinabangan, Barangay Sta. Catalina, Barangay Bagasbas, Barangay Chitongco and Barangay Cablangan); and Catarman (Barangays Old Rizal, Danagas, Dalakit, Molave, Yakal, Narra, Ipil-Ipil, Anad Santos, Talisay, Baybay, Airport Village, Casoy, Macagtas, Bangkerohan, Kawayan, UEP Zone 1 and 2).
In Eastern Samar, flooded areas are in Barangays 1 and 2, Maslog.
The national road from Oquendo District going to Catarman via Lope De Vega is not passable due to a landslide in Barangay Nabang Oquendo District, Calbayog City, as of 6 a.m., December 29.
Also not passable is the left lane of the barangay road from Oquendo District to Barangay Pilar due to a landslide in Barangay Cabugawan, Oquendo.
In Jiabong, not passable is the barangay road of Macabitas, Parina and Camaruboan, while in San Jorge, La Paz and Mombon are not passable.
Also not passable are Lope De Vega and Barangay Chitongco, Mondragon, and all areas of Northern Samar. The Barangay Macabitas bridge in Catbalogan City is also not passable.
Rentuaya said 6,232 individuals are in 667 evacuation centers across the region. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo and Ronald Reyes/SunStar Philippines)